Panic exit device



Get. 3, 1967 PAUL ET AL 3,345,099

PANIC EXIT DEVICE Fil ed Sept. 14. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 0 J g; '3

O (a 90 w F 7 a 5 5 \\\S a m: g

Geoesa D. AUL CLARENCE E.HUNS\NGER.

ATTORNEYS Oct. 3, 1967 G. D. PAUL E AL I 3,345,099

PANIC EXIT DEVICE Filed Sept. 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 V um! I :NVENTORS G eorzes b. AUL C Lnaeuce E-HUNSINCIER.

' ATTORNEY 3 Oct. 3, 1967 G, D, PAUL ET AL 3,345,099

PANIC EXIT DEVICE 5 SheetsSheet 3 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 Oct. 3, 1967 U ET AL PANIC EXIT DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 INVENTORS GEORGE b,pAUL C Lmzewze E. Huusmqez BY mascm.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,345,099 PANIC EXIT DEVICE George D. Paul and Clarence R. Hunsinger, Rochester, N.Y., assignors to Sargent and Greenleaf, Incorporated, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 487,261 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-21) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A panic exit device for emergency doors including a panic release bar disposed in horizontal spaced relation from the door surface, mounting means for the opposite ends of the bar supporting the same relative to a common pivot access, one of the mounting means being an actuating unit having a frame fixed to the door defining an outwardly opening vertically elongated channel, a vertically elongated slide member in the channel guided for recti linear movement, a center locking bolt provided in the frame having an integral projecting actuating member, the slide member having diverging inclined surfaces for receiving the actuating member therebetween to retract the latter from locking to unlocking position upon movement of the slide member, top and bottom edge locking devices on the door, vertically aligned control rods therefor and means for releasably connecting the control rods to the slide member.

The present invention relates in general to door latching and locking devices, and more particularly to door latches or locks of the class known in the trade as panic exit devices designed primarily for application to fire or emergency doors to enable them to be quickly opened for purposes of escape.

Fire or emergency doors designed to be readily opened from the inside are frequently empolyed in factories, schools, theatres and other buildings normally housing a larg number of persons where a quick emergency exit is necessary or advisable. conventionally, such doors are designed only to be opened from the inside, no provision whatsoever being made to permit the door to be either unlocked or opened from the outside of the building. The locks for such doors are normally continuously biased to locked condition wherein a bolt or bolts provided on the door are seated in suitable keepers on the door jamb, the lock being usually applied to the inner side of the door and having a bar extending transversely substantially the width of the door or a large pedal by which retraction of the lock bolt is effected when the bar or pedal is actuated, enabling the door to be pushed wide open. When the door is again closed, the bolt being of the latch type, automatically snaps into locked position.

It has been the intention that a door of the above type should be used for escape purposes only, and not for entrance purposes. However, it has been found that it would be desirable in many instances to permit limited access to such escape doors from the outside of the building so that the same might be used by a restricted group of employee or management personnel.

Further, such panic exit lock units as customarily produced are designed and commercially marketed as mortise lock units wherein the mortise bolt at the side or free edge of the door must be recessed in a suitable mortise or cavity in the door, thus requiring use of a special door construction or modification of the door on the build ing site. Also, conventionally commercially available panic exit lock units are prefabricated as single side latch units having a single mortise latch bolt to be disposed at an intermediate vertical or center location along the 3,345,099 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 side or free edge of the door, or as a top and/or bottom latching unit only, having latch bolts at the top and bottom edges of the door to project into keepers in the head j amb and/ or threshold of the door opening, or as a mortise center latch and top and/ or bottom latching unit, but such units are not readily interchangeable or convertible from one to the other type of installation. Thus, complete prefabricated units of each of these different types must be stocked by suppliers to meet the varying demands of customers.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel panic exit device having surface mounted latching bolt means adapted to be mounted on the surface of a door, wherein the device is readily adaptable to provide a wide variety of locking installations, including one point locking, two point locking with either top and bottom vertically aligned bolts or top and center bolts or bottom and center bolts, or three point locking including center and top and bottom bolts.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel center unit for panic exit devices, which is so constructed as to render the center unit mechanism readily usable in either right hand or left hand intsalla tions for operating a center locking bolt only or various combinations of top and/or bottom locking bolts therewith, or for operating top and bottom locking bolts only.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel panic exit device which is readily adaptable to provide either no outside operation, or outside operation by a conventional cylinder lock, or outside operation by a thumb latch either with or without cylinder lock control or other outside operation features, at the election of the user or installer.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel top locking unit construction for panic exit devices wherein a pivoted keeper rod of the top locking unit is automatically latched down in retracted condition out of cooperative relation with a top strike bolt when the top locking unit moves out of registry with the top strike and is restrained in such retracted condition until it again registers with the top strike.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front or inside elevation view of a door equipped with an internally surface mounted panic exit device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section view of the outboard panic bar mounting unit of the panic exit device, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the center locking unit and top and bottom locking units of a three-point locking installation of the panic exit device, the casing for the lower locking unit being omitted;

FIGURE .5 is a vertical section view of the center and top and bottom locking units of the panic exit device, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section View taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical section view showing the positions of the internal operative components of the center and top locking units when the panic exit device is in locked condition, taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section view similar to FIG. 7, but showing the components in unlocked condition;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are transverse horizontal section views taken along the lines 99 and 1010 respectively of FIG. 7;

FIGURE 11 is an exploded perspective view of the frame casting for the center locking unit together with cam and lifter block components which are added to convert the device to various modes of exterior operation; and

FIGURE 12 is a vertical section view taken along the line 1212 of FIG. 11 showing a cylinder lock controlled external thumb latch installation of the panic exit device.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the panic exit device of the present invention, generally indicated by the reference character 15, is adapted to be disposed on the inner surface of an escape door 16, or on one or each door of a double door exit if desired, such as is customarily found in schools, factories, theatres and the like where a readily available exit permitting emergency release of large numbers of people from the building is required. In the illustrative embodiment herein shown, the escape door 16 is disposed within a building wall door opening bounded by side jambs 17, 18, lintel 19 and fioor 20, the door 16 having a hinged edge 21 hinged in the conventional manner to the building wall or to the lintel and floor, and a free edge 22. The basic elements or subassemblies of the panic exit device comprise a center actuating unit 23 and an outboard unit or bar hinge unit 24, arranged in horizontally spaced relation substantially midway of the height of the door adjacent the free and hinged edges 22, 21 of the door respectively, between which the panic release bar 25 extends, supported by actuaing arms 26, 26' pivoted in the center actuating unit 23 and outboard unit 24 and fixed to the opposite ends of the release bar 25. It will be understood that the release bar 25 is normally disposed in a projected position relative to the adjacent surface of the door 16 to be engaged and shifted toward the door as a body moves or is forced toward the door from the interior of the building, thereby affording readily accessible means for insuring release of the panic lock whenever emergency exit is desired. The center actuating unit 23 may be provided with or without a pivoted bolt, and one or both of top and bottom locking units 27, 28 may be connected therewith or the locking units 27, 28 may be omitted, all at the option of the user.

The outboard unit 24, which serves merely as a hinge, or pivot mount for the end of the panic release bar 25 adjacent the hinged edge 21 of the door is illustrated in greater detail in FIGURES 2 and 3 and comprises a basic outboard frame casting 30 which is identical to the frame casting for the center actuating unit 23, to be more specifically described hereinafter, the latter of which is illustrated in perspective in FIGURE 4. The frame casting 30 includes a base portion 31 adapted to be mounted flush against the inner surface of the door 16 and secured thereto by a suitable fastening member, and integral transversely side portions 32, 33 forming with the base portion 31 a channel-shaped transverse crosssection. One side 32 of the frame-casing 30 is provided with a circular opening to receive and journal a cylindrical boss 45 adjacent the inner end of the release bar operating arm 26, while an integral intermediate partition member 35 rising from the base portion 31 is provided with an aperture axially aligned with the aperture in the side portion 31 to receive a constricted cylindrical end portion 36 on the end of operating arm 26. Intermediate the boss 34 and the constricted end 36 of the operating arm 26' is a non-circular cross section portion, on which is fitted a collar 37 having a corresponding cross-section opening therein, which has a peripherally projecting boss 38 providing an anchor for one end of coil spring 39, the other end of which is secured to anchor post 40 on the base portion 31. A stabilizing and reinforcing block member 41 may be removably mounted by suitable screws to the base portion 31 at an intermediate transverse position as illustrated in FIGURE 3 to bear against and lend support to the partition member 35 and form a limit surface adjacent the end of the constricted end portion 36 of actuating arm 26' to limit axial movement of the latter toward the hinged edge 21 of the door.

All of this outboard unit mechanism is hidden by a removable cover 42 which may be removably secured to the frame casting 30 by suitable screws extending through the sides of the cover 42.

The center actuating unit 23 likewise has a frame casting 45 identical to the casting 30, provided with a base portion 46 and side portions 47 and 48, and an intermediate partition member 49, like the sides 32, 33 and partition member 35 of frame casting 30. The side portion 47 is provided with circular opening 50 to receive the cylindrical boss 51 on actuating arm 26 and the intermediate partition member 49 is provided with aligned smaller diameter opening 52 to receive the constricted cylindrical end portion 53. The non-circular portion of the actuating arm 26 between the boss 51 and end portion 53 is illustrated in FIGURE 4 and designated by the reference character 54 and interfits into non-circular opening 55 in collar 56 identical to the collar 37. The radially projecting peripheral boss 57 on the collar 56 supports an anchor screw for anchoring one end of the biasing spring 58, the other end of which is affixed to anchor post 59 on the casting base 46.

The collar 56 also has an eccentric integral projection 60 of outwardly convergent profile terminating in a round nose portion 61 in which are mounted a pair of nylon pins, dowels, or wear members 62 arranged as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8, for a purpose to be later described, and which projection includes a threaded opening axially paralleling the axis of the opening 55 for threadedly receiving a headless set screw 63.

A vertically elongated slide member 65 is provided in the center actuating unit 23 for sliding movement on a vertical rectilinear axis between the intermediate partition member 49 and the side portion 48 of the frame casting 45, which slide member has inwardly projecting integral lug formations 66 at its upper and lower ends guided in guide-groove formations 67 at the upper and lower ends of the base portion 46 of frame casting 45. The slide member 65 is movably restrained in guided relation on the casting 45 with the lug formation 66 interfitted in the guide groove 67 by transverse rod members 68, formed for example of brass cylindrical tubular sleeves surrounding cylindrical rods whose opposite ends interfit into openings 69 in the sides 47, 48 of the casting 45, the axial length of the tubular sleeves being equal to the spacing between the mutually adjacent surfaces of the sides 47, 48. The slide member 65 is of symmetrical construction with respect to its longitudinal center, that is its upper half is exactly symmetrical with its lower half, and includes a pair of laterally projecting integral shoulder formations 70, 71 extending toward the panic bar 25 and defining inclined surfaces 72 diverging inwardly toward the door and away from the longitudinal center of the slide member, to cooperate with one of the wear members 62 on the nose 61 of collar projection 60. The outwardly facing surfaces of the shoulder formations 70, indicated by the reference character 73 define concave grooves for reception of the adjacent portions of spring 58 when the slide member is in its displaced unlocking position.

The slide member 65 is also provided at its longitudinal center with a truncated V-shaped recess 74 defined by outwardly diverging surfaces 75 and a flattened apex portion 76, to provide surfaces for actuating a pivoted center locking bolt 77 if center locking is to be provided in the panic exit device. To this end, a bolt 77 having aligned trunions 78 and an integral eccentric actuating projection or ears 80 flanking the recess 81 in casting side 48 with the actuating projection 79 extending into the slide recess 74. A conventional torsion spring 82 may be associated with the bolt 77 to normally bias the bolt to projected position.

The upper and lower ends of the slide member 65 are provided with outwardly opening concave cylindrical wells 83 interrupted by radially enlarged, outwardly opening coupling grooves 84, the wells being designed to receive in nested relation therein the end portions of cylindrical draw rods 85, 86 having diametric pins 87 therein providing projections to interfit in the coupling grooves 84 for transmitting motion from the slide member 65 to the draw rods 85, 86. As in the case of the outboard unit, the center actuating unit is housed in an attractive manner by a cover 88'of the same configuration as the cover 42 secured by means of suitable screws to the sides of the frame casting 45.

The draw rods 85, 86 provide the means for transmitting movement of the slide member 65 to the top and/or bottom locking units 27, 28 responsive to actuation of the release bar 25. The top and bottom locking units 27, 28 are of similar basic construction with slight variations to provide a movable keeper bar in the top unit coactive with a pivoted bolt on the top strike, and to provide a pivoted bolt on the bottom unit coactive with a keeper recess in the bottom or floor strike.

The top locking unit 27 comprises a frame 90 formed of a sheet metal stamping providing a pair of parallel side portions 91, 92 having oppositely projecting mounting flanges 93 at the inner edges and a connecting strap or web portion 94. The sides 91, 92 and web 94 define a channel within which is housed for vertical reciprocative movement a slide block 95 having a guide pin 96 extending transversely therethrough and projecting from the opposite sides thereof into guide slots 97 in the sides 91, 92 and having a threaded socket 98 in the lower end thereof to receive and be coupled to the threaded end of draw rod 85. Block 95 has an inclined outwardly opening guide recess 99 near the top thereof, which receives a cylindrical roller 101 on a transverse center pin 101' projecting at both ends into horizontal slots 102 in the frame sides 91, 92. The center pin 101' and roller 101 are linked to keeper roller or rod 103 by links 104 which also has a center pin 103' whose ends slide in inclined guide slots 105 in frame sides 91, 92.

This top locking unit is designed to coact with a top strike 106 which comprises a pivoted bolt 107 connected by a pivot pin 108 in a box-like well formation 109 and biased by a conventional spring, such as a torsion spring 110, to projected position. The top strike 106 is preferably mounted on the face of the usual doo-r stop on the lintel 19, as illustrated best in FIGURE 5, a recess conforming approximately to the dimensions of the well 109 having been cut out of the lintel stop to receive the bolt 107 when the latter is in retracted position.

The pivot pin 108 of the top strike 106 projects a sufficient distance from at least one side of the box-like well formation 109 to serve as an actuating pin for a holddown latch on the top locking unit 27 in the form of a lever 111 pivoted at its lower end on a lug 112 mounted on the frame by, for example, fastening the lug on an car 113 of the back plate 113 of the frame, two of such ears projecting outwardly in flanking, overlapping relation to the side portions 91, 92 and having a pair of such lugs fixed thereto. The lever 111 has a hook portion 114 adapted to engage and latch the center pin 101 of roller 101 in the unlocking position illustrated in FIGURE 8 with the keeper roller 103 in retracted position at the bottom of slot 105 when the lever 111 is shifted counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURES 7 and 8 by its biasing spring 115 upon release of the upper end portion of lever 111 from contact with pivot pin 108. When the door 16 and top locking unit 27 thereon nears fully closed position relative to the lintel stop, the upper end of lever 111 engages the pivot pin 108 of top strike 106 to rotate the lever 111 in a clockwise direction freeing the center pin 101' from latched relation therewith, whereby the block 95 is free to return to its lower position of FIGURE 7 projecting the keeper roller 103 to its upper bolt locking position through the coaction of inclined recess 99 and roller 101 linked to keeper roller 103. It will be apparent that the lever 111 may be disposed on either of the lugs 112 at either side of the frame and may be actuated by either projecting end of pivot pin 108 to suit different installation conditions.

The bottom locking unit 28 comprises a frame 90'. which is substantially identical to the frame 90 of the top locking unit, having sides 91, 92', mounting flanges 93', web 94' and guide slots 97 and 102'. The slide block is threadedly coupled to the lower draw rod 86, and has oppositely projecting guide pins 96' tracking in vertical guide slots 97', but is of shorter. vertical dimensions than upper slide block 95. Instead of the inclined recess 99 of block 95, the slide block 95' has a pin 116 in a lower inner corner portion thereof mounting links 117 which are coupled at their other ends to a pin 118 in bolt 119 pivoted on pivot pin 120 extending through suitable openings in the frame sides 91, 92'. The bolt 119 is biased to projected position by a torsion spring 121 on pivot pin 120. The bottom locking unit 28 coacts with a floor strike or latching threshold, for example, as indicated by reference character 122 having a keeper cavity 123 which is suitably shaped to receive the bolt 119. As is shown in the drawings, the operating mechanisms of the top and bottom locking units are covered by covers 124, 124 removably secured, as by screws, to the lugs 112 and 112, which may have threaded sockets in the outer ends thereof. The draw rods 85, 86 may be restrained against distortion by guides 125 mounted on the door 16 midway between the center unit 23 and the respective locking units 27, 28.

In the operation of the panic exit device 10 when installed for three-point locking on a door 16 in a no outside operation installation pressing on the panic release bar 25 to shift the same toward the door rotates the actuating arms 26, 26' in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 5. Such rotation of the arm 26 rotates the collar 56 thereon, and the projecting portion 60 thereof, from the FIGURE 7 position to the FIGURE 8 position, causing the wear pin 62 which bears upon the upper inclined surface 72 to slide to the left, as viewed in FIGURES 7 and 8 and lift the slide member 65 through its selected range of movement. The draw rods 85, 86 coupled to the slide member are thus lifted through a selected vertical range, shifting the upper slide block 95 upwardly to cam the roller 101 inwardly toward the door 16 and downwardly to withdraw the keeper roller 103 linked thereto downwardly clear of the top strike bolt 107 and elevating the lower slide block 95' to swing the bottom locking unit bolt 119 free of the floor strike 122. Such upward movement of the slide member 65 also retracts the center bolt 77 from locking relation with its associated keeper 77' on the side jamb 18 or companion door, through camming action of the lower surface 75 of V-shaped recess 74 of slide member 65 on the actuating projection 79 of center bolt 77. As the door 16 swings outwardly, the hold-down lever 111 of top locking unit 27 passes out of engagement with pivot pin 108 of top strike 106 and is spring urged into latched relation with center pin 101 of roller 101 to latch the keeper roller 103 in retracted position and thereby avoid jambs with the bolt 107 when the door returns to closed condition. As this latching action of lever 111 also restrains the slide block 95 in elevated position due to the position of roller 101 in recess 99, the slide member 65 and thus the center bolt 77 and bottom locking unit bolt 119 controlled there by are also restrained in unlocked or retracted condition until the door returns to fully closed position. Upon return of the door 16 to closed position, the upper end of lever 111 strikes the pivot pin 108 of top strike 106, freeing the center pin 101' of roller 101 from latcheddown condition, and permitting the slide member 65 and slide blocks 95, 95 to fall to their lower limit positions due to the weight of these components, and thereby projecting the keeper roller 103, center bolt 77, and bottom locking unit bolt 119 to interlocking relation with their coactive top strike bolt 107 and keepers '77 and 122.

It will be apparent that this panic exit device can be readily adapted to a center locking installation only simply by omitting the top and bottom locking units 27, 28 and their associated draw rods 85, 86 or to a two-point locking installation of any of three different types. The device can provide two point locking with the top and bottom locking units only by omitting the center bolt '77, or L- type locking with center bolt 77 and top locking unit 27, or inverted L-type locking with center bolt 77 and bottom locking unit 28. To provide these two-point locking arrangements, one merely omits installing the center bolt 77 in the center unit frame casting 45 or omits mounting of the top or bottom locking unit 27, 28 and intercoupling of the associated draw rod 85, 86 with the coupling grooves 84 of the slide member 65, as the case may be.

The above-described panic exit device may also be installed in such a manner as to permit outside operation by a cylinder key lock only, or by a thumb latch or knob only, or by a thumb latch or knob controlled by a cylinder lock. In the case of a cylinder key lock installation a cam 130 having radial wings 131 and an apertured center boss, 132, and a slide block 133 having a boss 134 and flattened panel portion 135, as illustrated in FIGURE 11, are employed. The boss 132 of the cam 130 is aligned with the hole 136 in the base portion 46 of center frame casting with the boss 132 extending into the slot 137 in slide member 65 and the radial wings 131 extending transversely of the frame casting 45 between the base portion 46 thereof and the slide member 65. The aperture in the boss 132 of cam 136 is of suitable non-circular cross-section, for example of cross-shaped configuration, to receive a conventional motion transmitting member such as an elongated flat metal strip coupled to the bolt or output element 138 of a conventional rim lock cylinder 139. The boss 134 of slide block 133 interfits into the recess 140 of slide member 65 and is fastened by a screw or the like to the web strip 141 of slide member 65 to coordinate movement of the slide block 133 and slide member 65, and the panel portion 135 lies between the slide member 65 and base portion 46 with its lower edge bearing against the cam 130. Thus, upon rotation of the rim lock cylinder bolt 138 upon insertion and rotation of the proper key, the cam 130 is rotated through an appropriate arc, raising the slide block 133 due to movement of one of the radial wings 131 against the lower edge of the slide block panel portion 135 and transmitting this upward movement to the slide member 65 to unlock the center bolt 77 and/or top and bottom locking units 27, 28 in the same manner as when the panic release bar 25 is depressed.

In the event a thumb latch is to be provided outside the door, to be released for operating the exit device by a rim lock cylinder, the cam 130 is coupled to the bolt of the lock cylinder at a position rotated 90 from the transverse orientation of the previously described installation, so that the radial wings 131 are disposed vertically, and an elongated slide strip 143 having threaded apertures 144, 145 therein, is fitted between the base portion 46 and slide member 65. A screw through aperture 144 secures the strip 143 to slide member 65 and a threaded pin 146 is coupled in aperture 145 and projects outwardly through a slot or recess in the door into the path of the tail of the thumb latch 147, as illustrated in FIGURE 12. When the lock cylinder 139 is in locked position, the cam 130 is positioned so that the downwardly extending radial wing 131 of cam 130 prevents elevation of the slide strip 143 and thus prevents actuation of the 8 thumb latch. However, when the lock cylinder is operated by the key to rotate the cam 130 through the slide strip 143 is free to move upwardly upon actuation of the thumb latch, which thereupon lifts the slide member 65 to unlock the panic exit device.

A cam like cam 130 but having a somewhat different cross-section for its aperture may be aligned with a circular hole in the lower half of the base portion 46 like the hole 136, to be coupled to the spindle of an externally exposed knob or thumb turn, the wings of the cam 130' bearing against the lower end of slide strip 143 to lift the slide member 65. In such a case, the rim cylinder lock and upper cam 130 are arranged in the same manner as for the thumb latch installation.

It will be appreciated that the symmetrical character of the frame casting 45 and slide member 65 relative to the transverse axis through their longitudinal centers renders this panic exit device capable of being mounted in a right hand installation without any change of components, by simply inverting these parts. Thus considerable savings in manufacturing costs can be realized due to the standardized design of components which are adaptable to a wide variety of installation conditions.

The panic exit device may be secured in unlocked position when desired, as during shipment or storage of the unit, by rotating the set screws 63 in the projections 60 of the collars 56 and 37 until they jamb against the adjacent surfaces of the slide member 65 and block member 41. To render the set screws 63 accessible, the side portions 47 and 32 of frame castings 45 and 30 are provided with apertures to register with an end of the set screws 63 when the panic release bar 25 is in depressed position to permit an Allen wrench or similar tool to be inserted into a suitable socket in the end of the set screws 63 for turning them to jambed condition.

While only one form of the present invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be apparent that various modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A panic exit device for emergency doors to be mounted on an inwardly facing exposed surface of a conventional flush door, comprising a panic release bar disposed in horizontal relation spaced from said door surface exposing the same to be contacted and deflected toward the door by bodies approaching the door, mounting means for said bar pivotally supporting the same relative to a common pivot axis adjacent a free edge and a hinged edge of said door, one of said mounting means including an actuating unit comprising a frame to be fixed to said door surface having a base and sides defining a vertically elongated channel opening outwardly of said door surface, a vertically elongated slide member in said channel, inter-engaging surface formations on said frame and slide member for guiding the latter along a selected vertical rectilinear axis between a normal locking position and a displaced unlocking position, a center locking bolt pivotally mounted in said frame for rotation between a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position and having an integral actuating member projecting therefrom, said slide member having a substantially V-shaped recess at its longitudinal center opening away from said door surface defining a pair of mutually diverging inclined surfaces located symmetrically relative to a transverse horizontal reference axis at the longitudinal center of said slide member for receiving said actuating member of said center locking bolt therebetween and actuating the same to retract the latter from locking to unlocking position upon movement of said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position, said slide member having upwardly and downwardly opening recesses at its upper and lower ends respectively shaped to receive and releasably couple said slide member to end portions of axially aligned vertically reciprocative connecting rods for transmitting vertical axially reciprocative movement thereto upon movement of said slide member between said normal and displaced positions to retract and project top and bottom locking means at the top and bottom edges of said door between locking and unlocking condition, and motion-transmitting means intercoupling said release bar and said slide member to move the latter from said normal position to said displaced position upon deflection of said release bar through a selected distance toward said door surface.

2. A panic exit device for emergency doors to be mounted on an inwardly facing exposed surface of a conventional flush door, comprising a panic release bar disposed in horizontal relation spaced from said door surface exposing the same to be contacted and deflected toward the door by bodies approaching the door, mounting means for said bar pivotally supporting the same relative to a common pivot axis adjacent a free edge and a hinged edge of said door, one of said mounting means including an actuating unit comprising a frame to be fixed to said door surface having a base and sides defining a vertically elongated channel opening outwardly of said door surface, a vertically elongated slide member in said channel, inter-engaging surface formations on said frame and slide member for guiding the latter along a selected vertical rectilinear axis between a normal locking position and a displaced unlocking position, a center locking bolt pivotally mounted in said frame for rotation between a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position and having an integral actuating member projecting therefrom, said slide member being an integral casting in which the upper and lower halves thereof are symmetrical counterparts of each other relative to a transverse horizontal reference axis at the longitudinal center thereof and comprising a pair of outwardly inclined divergent surfaces adjacent said reference axis defining an outwardly opening, substantially V-shaped recess centered on said reference axis for receiving said actuating member of said center locking bolt between the diverging inclined surfaces defined by said V-shaped recess and actuating said actuating member to retract said center locking bolt from locking to unlocking position upon movement of said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position, and said slide member having outwardly opening coupling troughs at the upper and lower ends of said slide member opening through their respective ends of said slide member and arranged along a common vertical axis, and said troughs having bounding surfaces which define a uniform crosssectional configuration over an axially elongated portion of each said trough and having outwardly opening groove formations in transversely aligned diametrically opposite portions of said bounding surfaces at points spaced toward said reference axis from the respective ends of said slide member.

3. A panic exit device for emergency doors to be mounted on an inwardly facing exposed surface of a conventional flush door, comprising a panic release bar disposed in horizontal relation spaced from said door surface exposing the same to be contacted and deflected toward the door by bodies approaching the door, mounting means forsaid bar pivotally supporting the same relative to a common pivot axis adjacent a free edge and a hinged edge of said door, one of said mounting means including an actuating unit comprising a frame to be fixed to said door surface having a base and sides defining a vertically elongated channel opening outwardly of said door surface, a vertically elongated slide member in said channel, inter-engaging surface formations on said frame and slide member for guiding the latter along a selected vertical rectilinear axis between a normal locking position and a displaced unlocking position, a center locking bolt pivotally mounted in said frame for rotation between a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position and having an integral actuating member projecting therefrom, said slide member "being an integral casting in which the upper and lower halves thereof are symmetrical counterparts of each other relative to a transverse horizontal reference axis at the longitudinal center thereof and comprising a pair of outwardly inclined divergent surfaces adjacent said reference axis defining an outwardly opening substantially V-shaped recess centered on said reference axis for receiving said actuating member of said center locking bolt between the diverging inclined surfaces defined by said V-shaped recess and actuating said actuating member to retract said center locking bolt from locking to unlocking position upon movement of said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position, said slide member having outwardly opening coupling troughs at the upper and lower ends of said slide member openingthrough their respective ends of said slide member and arranged along a common vertical axis, said troughs having bounding surfaces which define a uniform cross-sectional configuration over an axially elongated portion of each of said troughs and having outwardly opening groove formations in transversely aligned diametrically opposite portions of said' bounding surfaces at points spacedttoward said reference axis from the respective ends of said slide members, and said slide member further having a pair of wing-like projections extending from one side of said slide member in a direction paralleling said reference axis and being symmetrical with respect thereto, said projections each having an inclined surface facing toward said reference axis and together defining a pair of outwardly convergent surfaces extending along paths bisected by a plane aligned with said reference axis and disposed perpendicular to said door surface to receive an eccentric portion of said bar therebetween, the eccentric portion of the bar bearing against one of said inclined surfaces of said projections in sliding contact therewith to effect movement of said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position upon selected rotation of said bar.

4. A panic exit device for emergency doors to be mounted on an inwardly facing exposed surface of a conventional flush door, comprising a panic release bar disposed in horizontal relation spaced from said door surface exposing the same to be contacted and deflected toward the door by bodies approaching the door, mounting means for said bar pivotally supporting the same relative to a common pivot axis, including a first mounting unit adjacent the free edge and a second mounting unit adjacent the hinged edge of said door, said first mounting unit comprising a frame to be fixed to said door surface having a base and sides defining a vertically elongated channel opening outwardly of said door surface, a vertically elongated slide member in said channel, inter-engaging surface formations on said frame and slide member for guiding the latter along a selected vertical rectilinear axis between a normal locking position and a displaced unlocking position, a center locking bolt pivotally mounted in said frame for rotation between a projected locking position and a retracted unlocking position and having an integral actuating member projecting therefrom, said slide member having a substantially V- shaped recess at its longitudinal center opening away from said door surface defining a pair of mutually diverging inclined surfaces located symmetrically relative to a transverse horizontal reference axis at the longitudinal center of said slide member for receiving said actuating member of said center locking bolt therebetween and actuating the same to retract the center locking bolt from locking to unlocking position upon movement of said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position, upper and lower locking devices at the top and bottom edges of said door aligned vertically with said first mounting unit and having axially aligned vertically reciprocative elongated connecting rods for adjusting said locking devices from locking to unlocking condition upon upward axial movement of said rods, said slide member having upwardly and downwardly opening recesses at its upper and lower ends respectively shaped complementary to end portions of said rods and receiving the same in nested and coupled relation therein for transmitting vertical axially reciprocative movement to said connecting rods upon movement of said slide member between said normal and displaced positions and retract and project said upper and lower locking devices between locking and unlocking condition, and motion-transmitting means intercoupling said release bar and said slide member to move the latter from said normal position to said displaced position upon deflection of said release bar through a selected distance toward said surface.

5. A panic exit device as defined in claim 4 wherein said release bar includes an actuating arm extending therefrom toward said first mounting unit having a portion thereof journaled in said frame for rotation about said common pivot axis, a collar fixed on said actuating arm for rotation about said pivot axis having an eccentric projection, said slide member including a pair of winglike projections extending from one side thereof each having an inclined surface facing toward said reference axis, said inclined surfaces together defining a pair of outwardly convergent surfaces for receiving said collar and collar projection therebetween, the uppermost of said convergent surfaces forming a ramp against which said collar projection works upon depression of said release bar toward said door surface to elevate said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position.

6. A panic exit device as defined in claim 1 wherein said release bar includes an actuating arm extending therefrom toward said one of said mounting means having a portion thereof journaled in said frame for rotation about said common pivot axis, a collar fixed on said actuating arm for rotation about said pivot axis having an eccentric projection, said slide member including a pair of wing-like projections extending from one side thereof each having an inclined surface facing toward said reference axis, said inclined surfaces together defining a pair of outwardly convergent surfaces for receiving said collar and collar porjection therebetween, the uppermost of said convergent surfaces forming a ramp against which said collar projection works upon depression of said release bar toward said door surface to elevate said slide member from said normal position to said displaced position.

7. A panic exit device as defined in claim 4, wherein said upper locking device is adapted to coact with a pivoted bolt mounted on a lintel of a door opening for said door and biased to normally project downwardly from said lintel, said upper locking device comprising a frame mounted on said door surface, a slide block connected to one of said connecting rods for vertical reeiprocative movement in said locking device frame upon axial movement of said one of said connecting rods, a keeper roller guided in said locking device frame for movement between a projected position horizontally aligned with and adjacent said pivoted bolt to prevent opening movement of said door and a retracted position wherein the keeper roller can pass beneath said pivoted bolt, and means including cam surfaces on said slide block for shifting said keeper roller between said projected and retracted positions upon movement of said slide block responsive to movement of said slide member between said normal and displaced positions.

8. A panic exit device as defined in claim 4, wherein said upper locking device is adapted to coact with a pivoted bolt mounted on a lintel of a door opening for said door and biased to normally project downwardly from said lintel, said upper locking device comprising a frame mounted on said door surface, a slide block connected to one of said connecting rods for vertical reciprocative movement in said locking device frame upon axial movement of said one of said connecting rods, a keeper roller guided in said locking device frame for movement between a projected position horizontally aligned with and adjacent said pivoted bolt to prevent opening movement of said door and a retracted position wherein the keeper roller can pass beneath said pivoted bolt, 9. second roller paralleling said keeper roller and linked thereto, said slide block having an inclined recess slidably receiving said second roller for imparting movement to said second roller responsive to vertical movement of said slide block for producing movement of said keeper roller linked thereto between said projected and retracted positions.

9. In a panic exit device for emergency doors to be mounted on an inwardly facing exposed surface of a conventional fiush door, including a panic release bar disposed in horizontal relation spaced from said door surface exposing the same to be contacted and deflected toward the door by bodies approaching the door, mounting means for said bar pivotally supporting the same relative to a common pivot axis, including a first mounting unit adjacent the free edge and a second mounting unit adjacent the hinged edge of said door, said first mounting unit including a slide member guided along a selected vertical rectilinear axis between a normal locking position and an upwardly displaced unlocking position, an upper locking device at the top edge of said door aligned vertically with said first mounting unit, a vertically reciprocative elongated connecting rod having one end coupled to said slide member for adjusting said locking device from locking to unlocking condition upon upward axial movement of said connecting rod, a pivoted bolt mounted on a lintel of a door opening for said door and biased to normally project downwardly from said lintel, said upper locking device comprising a frame mounted on said door surface, a slide block connected to said connecting rod, a keeper roller guided in said locking device frame for movement between a projected position horizontally aligned with and adjacent said pivoted bolt to prevent opening movement of said door and a retracted position wherein the keeper roller can pass beneath said pivoted bolt, 21 second roller paralleling said keeper roller and linked thereto, said slide block having an inclined recess slidably receiving said second roller for imparting movement to said second roller responsive to vertical movement of said slide block for producing movement of said keeper roller linked thereto between said projected and retracted positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14,147 6/1916 Hurd 29221 980,229 1/ 1911 Ericson 29221 1,535,210 4/1925 Dyer 92 3,149,864 9/1964 Foster 292--92 X 3,271,982 9/1966 Welch 29292 X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

J. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A PANIC EXIT DEVICE FOR EMERGENCY DOORS TO BE MOUNTED ON AN INWARDLY FACING EXPOSED SURFACE OF A CONVENTIONAL FLUSH DOOR, COMPRISING A PANIC RELEASE BAR DISPOSED IN HORIZONTAL RELATION SPACED FROM SAID DOOR SURFACE EXPOSING THE SAME TO BE CONTACTED AND DEFLECTED TOWARD THE DOOR BY BODIES APPROACHING THE DOOR, MOUNTING MEANS FOR SAID BAR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING THE SAME RELATIVE TO A COMMON PIVOT AXIS, INCLUDING A FIRST MOUNTING UNIT ADJACENT THE FREE EDGE AND A SECOND MOUNTING UNIT ADJACENT THE HINGED EDGE OF SAID DOOR, SAID FIRST MOUNTING UNIT COMPRISING A FRAME TO BE FIXED TO SAID DOOR SURFACE HAVING A BASE AND SIDES DEFINING A VERTICALLY ELONGATED CHANNEL OPENING OUTWARDLY OF SAID DOOR SURFACE, A VERTICALLY ELONGATED SLIDE MEMBER IN SAID CHANNEL, INTER-ENGAGING SURFACE FORMATIONS ON SAID FRAME AND SLIDE MEMBER FOR GUIDING THE LATTER ALONG A SELECTED VERTICAL RECTILINEAR AXIS BETWEEN A NORMAL LOCKING POSITION AND A DISPLACED UNLOCKING POSITION, A CENTER LOCKING BOLT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FOR ROTATION BETWEEN A PROJECTED LOCKING POSITION AND A RETRACTED UNLOCKING POSITION AND HAVING AN INTEGRAL ACTUATING MEMBER PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID SLIDE MEMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY VSHAPED RECESS AT ITS LONGITUDINAL CENTER OPENING AWAY FROM SAID DOOR SURFACE DEFINING A PAIR OF MUTUALLY DIVERGING INCLINED SURFACES LOCATED SYMMETRICALLY RELATIVE TO A TRANSVERSE HORIZONTAL REFERENCE AXIS AT THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER OF SAID SLIDE MEMBER FOR RECEIVING SAID ACTUATING MEMBER OF SAID CENTER LOCKING BOLT THEREBETWEEN ACTUATING THE SAME TO RETRACT THE CENTER LOCKING BOLT FROM LOCKING TO UNLOCKING POSITION UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE MEMBER FROM SAID NORMAL POSITION TO SAID DISPLACED POSITION, UPPER AND LOWER LOCKING DEVICES AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF SAID DOOR ALIGNED VERTICALLY WITH SAID FIRST MOUNTING UNIT AND HAVING AXIALLY ALIGNED VERTICALLY RECIPROCATIVE ELONGATED CONNECTING RODS FOR ADJUSTING SAID LOCKING DEVICES FROM LOCKING TO UNLOCKING CONDITION UPON UPWARD AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID RODS, SAID SLIDE MEMBER HAVING UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY OPENING RECESSES AT ITS UPPER AND LOWER ENDS RESPECTIVELY SHAPED COMPLEMENTARY TO END PORTIONS OF SAID RODS AND RECEIVING THE SAME IN NESTED AND COUPLED RELATION THEREIN FOR TRANSMITTING VERTICAL AXIALLY RECIPROCATIVE MOVEMENT TO SAID CONNECTING RODS UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE MEMBER BETWEEN SAID NORMAL AND DISPLACED POSITIONS AND RETRACT AND PROJECT SAID UPPER AND LOWER LACKING DEVICES BETWEEN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING CONDITION, AND MOTION-TRANSMITTING MEANS INTERCOUPLING SAID RELEASE BAR AND SID SLIDE MEMBER TO MOVE THE LATTER FROM SAID NORMAL POSITION TO SAID DISPLACED POSITION UPON DEFLECTION OF SAID RELEASE BAR THROUGH A SELECTED DISTANCE TOWARD SAID SURFACE. 